New furniture rules in U.S. could make furniture safer for children in Canada
A new law in the United States will make new dressers much safer for children and could make dressers in Canada safer as well.
Health Canada says hundreds of kids are injured by furniture tip-overs every year, with at least 60 per cent of all incidents causing injuries involving dressers, desks, chests and TVs.
Kimberly Amato fought for change after her daughter was killed in a dresser tip-over accident.
"Our family woke up on the morning of December 18th, 2004 to every parent's nightmare. Our beautiful three-year-old twin daughter, Megan, was found lifeless beneath her dresser. It had tipped over on her," said Amato.
Since her tragic loss, Amato and other parents have been fighting for change. They finally won the hard-fought battle when the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act went into effect last year in the U.S., setting stricter rules on manufacturers to prevent tip-overs of clothing storage furniture over a certain size and weight.
"The good news is all the dressers we tested that were made after September 2023 passed our rigorous tip-over tests," said Lauren Kirchner with Consumer Reports (CR).
While there's no similar law in Canada, any furniture that's made here to be shipped to the U.S. will need to comply with the provisions of the act. Additionally, dressers brought in from the U.S. may also adhere to the new standards. Consumers, however, will still need to check their specifications to ensure the dresser is compliant.
CR tests include pulling out the drawers and hanging 25 kilogram weights from one of the top drawers for at least 10 seconds to simulate a child climbing or hanging off the furniture. If the dresser stays upright, it passes.
That doesn't mean every dresser in every bedroom is safe as older dressers prone to tip-overs are still on the market. In fact, CR said two dressers manufactured before September 2023 failed recent tests.
"The new rule only applies to dressers built after Sept. 1, 2023. Anything built before that date doesn't have to meet the new requirements, but it can still be sold," said Kirchner.
If you're buying a new dresser, shop in person, ask when the dresser was made and if it meets Sturdy Act requirements. For online shoppers, look for a manufacture date after Sept. 1, 2023. Anchor kits can also be used on dressers to ensure they are secured to the wall.
"I can think of no better way to honor Maggie’s legacy than to know that this standard that we fought so hard for works," said Amato.
Health Canada said television tip overs are also a major problem, with 70 per cent of TVs toppling on children between the ages of one and three. New TVs, while much lighter, still pose a safety risk, though they can also be secured to a TV stand or wall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The impact of Trump's lies in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio was once a manufacturing hub. Now, people know it for Trump's comments at September's presidential debate, when he famously - and falsely - told an audience of 67 million people that Haitians eat their pets, echoing claims that had circulated on social media.
India protests Canadian government's allegation its home minister ordered Sikh activists targeted
India officially protested on Saturday the Canadian government's allegation that the country's powerful home minister Amit Shah had ordered the targeting of Sikh activists inside Canada, calling it 'absurd and baseless.'
Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack
Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with 'a crushing response' over attacks on Iran and its allies.
Vancouver quietly proclaimed Chip Wilson Day as billionaire installed sign calling B.C. NDP 'communist'
On the same day Chip Wilson erected a controversial sign at his Vancouver mansion, the city was quietly honouring the billionaire and his wife.
'Election seems really close': Americans in Canada cast ballot ahead of U.S. election
Stephen Winters says watching the U.S. election campaign from Canada as a dual citizen is like a parent watching their kid play sports.
Spain to send 10,000 soldiers, police to Valencia after deadly floods
Spain is sending 5,000 more soldiers and 5,000 more police to the eastern region of Valencia after deadly floods this week that killed more than 200 people, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday.
Jury convicts former Kentucky officer of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during deadly raid
A federal jury on Friday convicted a former Kentucky police detective of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during a botched 2020 drug raid that left her dead.
Orphaned squirrel who became social media star was euthanized after being seized from New York home
An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.